Monthly comment – December 2024
SUMMARY A challenging ending to a volatile year. December was the healthcare sector’s worst month of the year. The murder of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, shocked the sector to its core. Novo Nordisk released the much-anticipated phase III data for CagriSema which missed market expectations, and the stock fell sharply. At the eleventh hour, […]
Monthly summary – November 2024: Once the election results were in, focus shifted torwards likely economic implications
Monthly comment November saw heightened volatility across financial markets, driven by the dramatic US election, Trump’s victory, his controversial cabinet nominations, fluctuating interest rates and currencies, geopolitical tensions as well as the earnings season. Donald Trump secured both the Electoral College and the popular vote. Republicans gained control of the Senate and the House of […]
Monthly summary – September 2024
As in the previous month, September began with a spike in volatility. Mixed economic data, interest rate uncertainties and geopolitical tensions, all added to a weak start. With the benefit of hindsight, after nine out of the past ten months ended in the green, some profit-taking was perhaps to be expected, particularly bearing in mind […]
Monthly summary – August 2024
SUMMARY August started with a spike in volatility. Despite the initial stress, stock markets increased during the month, with the world index up 2.5 percent, measured in US dollars. Several central banks have now signalled their intention to cut interest rates in the coming months. The US election campaign is in full swing with continued […]
Monthly update – July 2024
Stock markets increased slightly in July with the world index up 1.7 percent, measured in US dollars. A significant rotation from former stock market winners, mainly in technology, to value stocks and smaller companies was an important phenomenon during the month. The technology companies’ reports indicated slightly lower growth momentum, while smaller companies on the […]
Monthly summary – June 2024
Events during the month of June centered on the continuing geopolitical unrest around the world. The war in Ukraine intensified, negotiations to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip failed, and Putin and Kim Jong Un deepened their cooperation. Financially, June saw overall strong equity markets, especially for the technology sector, but consumer-driven companies in […]
Monthly summary – May 2024
Artificial Intelligence and earnings trumped rates and politics. Even though worries over possible rate cut delays by central banks, and the increasingly uncertain political and geopolitical landscape weighed down on investor sentiment, equity markets overall rose in May, led yet again by technology stocks. Interest rate setback The stickier-than-expected inflation made for yet another setback […]
Monthly summary – April
Rates and geopolitics versus earnings! Following five months of positive equity market returns, April turned out to be a somewhat harder month to navigate. The hopes for fast upcoming cuts from central banks were again dashed by stickier inflation, especially in the US, leading to yet another delay in when it could be expected. At […]
Monthly summary – January 2024
Happy New Year! January turned out to be the third consecutive month with positive stock market returns overall despite investors’ initial hesitation. After the very strong finish in 2023, with November and December delivering bumper price increases, the new year however started off on a more apprehensive note. This was due not least to the […]